Practice Makes Perfect
by Higuchimon
Summary: It's the holiday season, which means mistletoe. Only someone forgot to tell two of the Barians what encounters under the mistletoe means.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit. All forms of feedback eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.  
**Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal  
**Title:** Practice Makes Perfect  
**Romance:** Vector x Mizael/Mizael x Vector (also some reference to Stolenshipping)  
**Word Count:** 1,000||**Status:** One-shot  
**Genre:** Romance||**Rated:** PG-13  
**Challenge:** Written for the 2014 Advent Calendar Challenge, day #23; Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, section B, #69, write a post-canon fic; Written for the One Pairing Boot Camp, prompt #33, blush  
**Notes:** There's a light reference to my fic **If You Mean It** in here.  
**Summary:** [one-shot, Vector x Mizael/Mizael x Vector, Miseryshipping, 2014 Advent Calendar Challenge; Diversity Writing Challenge; One Pairing Boot Camp] It's the holiday season, which means mistletoe. Only someone forgot to tell two of the Barians what encounters under the mistletoe means.

* * *

No one really knew who put the mistletoe over the door. It was just kind of there. Ryouga had his suspicions on Yuuma for it, especially once Yuuma caught both him and Kaito under it (and made an effort to get them both at the same time; you could always count on Yuuma to try for the impossible). But no one had actually seen who did it.

And somehow or other, Ryouga forgot to mention to the other Barians just what mistletoe meant, especially at this time of year. He had enough to do just explaining the various winter-based holidays, trying to match them up to what his still fuzzy memories of some of his past lives as both human and Barian remembered, as well as trying to get everyone some gift that was at least tolerable. And Rio was no help at all, since she waved a hand royally, declared that he was the leader and explaining this was his job, while she and Kotori went shopping.

Some days he wished he'd been born an only child. Twice. Or three times. Whichever one applied.

At any rate, mistletoe hung over the door and Mizael entered the doorway. At the same moment, Vector was going out the door.

Everyone who had the slightest knowledge of mistletoe traditions froze at the sight. Vector and Mizael seldom spoke to one another, so far as Ryouga himself knew. Everything had been more or less calm between the Barians since their revival and slow settle into lives as humans. Or quasi-humans. Whichever fit there.

For a second, Ryouga thought they'd simply pass one another by and they wouldn't have to worry about what could happen. That would be _completely_ fine by him.

But then Yuuma's voice piped up and his eyes met Kaito's, and he knew full well the same thought flowed through their minds.

_Oh, no._

* * *

"Hey, you two are under the mistletoe together!" Yuuma bounced over to the doorway, grinning at the two of them. Vector gave the other a short look, eyes narrowing a fraction before he turned his attention to Mizael.

"I can see that," the blond spoke up before Vector could, casting a glance up at the white-berried plant hanging overhead. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You haven't heard?" Vector sounded both smooth and amused, a tone of voice that virtually everyone there associated with him planning something devious. Granted, any tone of his voice could be associated with that. "I thought you were going to know everything about being human."

Mizael's fingers clenched for a second; he was still proud, his pride would never fade, but now he threw it all into learning how to be the absolute best human that he could possibly be, if he _had_ to be one.

"Oh, don't tease him about it!" Yuuma glowered at Vector. Then he looked at Mizael. "It's a holiday thing. If two people meet up under the mistletoe, they're supposed to kiss each other." He rubbed the back of his head. "I guess you don't have to. It's just kind of a tradition. And it's fun." His eyes slid over to Kaito and Shark.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of going against tradition," Vector said, a smile on his lips that would rival that of a true shark. "Would you, Mizael?"

"Yes." Mizael replied flatly. "No one told me kissing Vector was involved with tonight."

"Surprise?" Vector took a step closer. "Really, it's not that terrible, kissing me. Is it, Yuuma?"

Yuuma's cheeks turned brilliant scarlet and he stammered out something that wasn't entirely coherent before ducking over to where his two boyfriends waited. Both of them gave Vector the sort of look that spelled out whatever had happened in the past would not happen again.

Vector didn't seem interested in Yuuma at the moment, however. Instead he took another step toward Mizael. "Might as well get it over with, right?"

He didn't wait any longer. There was an odd kind of hunger in his eyes as he buried one hand in Mizael's hair and tugged him closer, crushing their lips together.

His tongue caressed on Mizael's lips, pressing inside, and his lips twitched into a smile when he felt Mizael start to kiss back. Seeing those large eyes in a mixture of surprise and anger made him kiss even more, rubbing his hand up and down in Mizael's hair.

Somewhere in the background, he could hear other people talking. He paid no mind to them. What mattered right now was the warmth of Mizael against him and the heat of those lips, much more passionate than he would have imagined.

But Mizael was like him on one level: whatever they did, they did to the best of their ability. Neither could resist a challenge. Granted, there were few duelists who _could_.

This was a different kind of challenge from a duel, though. At least a duel with cards. Mizael's tongue prodded back at his own mouth, the motion inexperienced, but he could almost read the dragon duelist's mind on this point. _I don't know what I'm doing but if he's doing this, then I'm going to do it too._

Vector had made a point to learn how to use every weapon that he had in his arsenal, and he considered his body just another weapon, as much as his mind was. Perhaps he didn't use it the way Gilag or Alit would – and he thought they were both staring in shock now – but he used it in a way that he found most interesting.

"I think that's enough. You've satisfied the requirements," Nasch's voice interrupted. Vector took his time moving back and was not surprised in the slightest to see Mizael's cheeks a flame-red that rivaled Yuuma's. Nor would Mizael appreciate attention being called to it.

Which was why he touched Mizael's cheek and smiled. "You're going to need practice if you really want to be good at this. Let me know when you're free."

**The End**


End file.
